What Do You Know About Prosecco DOC?

What do you know about Prosecco DOC?  When purchasing a bottle, most of us probably just see that the bottle says “Prosecco” without checking its designation.  I recently attended a masterclass, led by Jenna Briscoe, a local sommelier and wine school educator, that covered the history, culture, and quality assurance around Prosecco DOC.  Let me tell you about it, along with the twelve different bottles of Prosecco DOC we sampled.

A Few Key Facts and Figures

• Established: Prosecco DOC created in 2009.
• Region: Northeast Italy, 9 provinces across Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia.
• Headquarters: Treviso.
• UNESCO Sites: 11 in the region.
• Annual Production (2024): 660 million bottles.
• Prosecco DOC Rosé Production: 60 million bottles.
• Export: Over 80% of production to over 160 countries.
• Top Export Markets: USA, UK, Germany, France, Canada (5th).
• Vineyard Area: Just under 30,000 hectares.
• Grape Growers: 12,000.
• Sparkling Wine Houses: 362.

Historical Evolution and the Significance of the DOC Designation

Prosecco’s story is steeped in history, beginning as far back as the first century. The Glera grape, makes its first recorded appearance in the 12th century, becoming the backbone of this sparkling wine. By the 1700s, producers in northeastern Italy were crafting a still, sweet white wine with the delicate aromatics and fruit-forward flavours we now associate with Prosecco. The late 1800s ushered in a pivotal transformation with the development of the Charmat (or Martinotti) method, making it possible to produce Prosecco as a sparkling wine at a larger scale.

The region’s modern identity solidified with the creation of the Prosecco IGT in 1977, and more importantly, the Prosecco DOC in 2009. This DOC is more than a label. It is a guarantee of authenticity, requiring that producers follow strict geographical and production rules. If a wine is not made from Glera grapes grown within the delimited area stretching between Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto, using the approved methods, it cannot bear the name Prosecco. For wine lovers, the DOC seal, found on every bottle, ensures traceability and trust in quality. With annual production now soaring past 660 million bottles, Prosecco DOC has firmly established itself as Italy’s most prolific sparkling wine.

Geographical Location and Terroir

The Prosecco DOC region is nestled in northeast Italy, stretching across nine provinces between the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions. At its core lies Treviso, the site of the Prosecco DOC Consortium headquarters and widely regarded as the heart of Prosecco production. The landscape is as varied as the wines themselves, framed by the dramatic Dolomites to the north and the Adriatic Sea to the south. The climate here is cool and relatively wet, shaped by marine influences from the nearby Adriatic, yet tempered by enough warmth to nurture the Glera grape to full ripeness. Most vineyards sit at low altitudes, averaging just 18 metres above sea level, which helps preserve the grape’s signature high acidity while contributing a gentle roundness on the palate. This balance between freshness and softness is echoed in the wine’s aromatic profile; bright, floral, and layered with peachy stone fruit tones that add depth beyond the classic orchard fruit notes of green apple and pear. 

Grape Varieties and Production Methods

At the heart of Prosecco DOC lies the Glera grape, a variety once known by the same name as the wine itself: Prosecco. To protect the regional identity and ensure authenticity with the DOC’s establishment, the grape was officially renamed Glera. Today, Prosecco DOC wines must contain at least 85% Glera, with the remaining 15% made up of a blend of approved native varieties like Verdiso, Bianchetta Trevigiana, and Perera, or small amounts of international grapes such as Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay, though these are used sparingly.

A recent and popular addition to the category is Prosecco DOC Rosé, introduced in 2020 (with the first bottles appearing in 2019). This style also requires a minimum of 85% Glera, but allows up to 15% Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), which is blended in as a red wine to give the rosé its appealing hue. The Charmat method is the backbone of Prosecco production; an approach where secondary fermentation takes place in stainless steel pressurized tanks. This method is ideal for preserving Glera’s fresh varietal character, resulting in lively, fruit-forward wines with pronounced floral aromatics and vibrant acidity. 

Wine Styles and Sweetness Levels

Prosecco DOC comes in various styles based on residual sugar levels:

• Brut Nature (0 g/L added sugar)
• Extra Brut (up to 6 g/L, typically drier)
• Brut (0-12 g/L, a growing category, often around 9-10 g/L)
• Extra Dry (12-18 g/L, the most popular style, often around 14-15 g/L) – The extra sweetness helps enhance some of the fruiter nature of the Glera grape shows you what this style of wine is sort of meant to be all about.
• Dry (17-32 g/L, slightly sweeter)
• Demi-Sec (33-50 g/L, sweeter)

Prosecco DOC also comes in different pressure levels:

• Tranquillo (still wine, very small production)
• Frizzante (semi-sparkling, taking up roughly 14% of production) – Less intense bubble, can help “round everything out.”
• Spumante (fully sparkling, just shy of 80% of production) – A fuller bubble, can enhance acidity and provide a “moussey foamy texture.”

Market Presence and Consumer Appeal

Prosecco is very versatile and extremely food friendly, pairing well with various dishes and snacks, particularly fried and salty items. Prosecco DOC has defied the trend of declining wine consumption in other categories, with production increasing significantly from 120 million bottles in 2009 to 660 million today. The main consumer demographic for Prosecco is millennials (born 1982-1996).

Sustainability initiatives are also important to Prosecco DOC, which can also influence customer appeal.  The Prosecco DOC Consortium is working on significant projects with universities and municipalities to promote sustainability across the entire production chain (grape growers, base winemakers, sparkling houses). While full sustainability is a long-term goal, many wineries are engaging in smaller projects like planting hedges around vineyards, increasing wooded areas to improve biodiversity, and reducing less sustainable additives. Organic farming in the region is challenging due to the wet climate and high fungal disease pressure, but some producers are pursuing organic certification (EU organic certification label).

My Wine Tasting Notes

Blu Giovello Prosecco DOC Frizzante – A medium lemon colour.  Fresh stone fruit and lesser citrus aromas.  High acidity. Medium-sized mix of creamy and biting bubbles that fills your mouth.  Stone fruits, tropical fruits and some herbaceousness on the palate.  A touch of bitterness.  Medium-plus to long length. –

Bottega Prosecco DOC Brut “Bottega Gold” – made with 85% Glera grapes with remainder from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  A bright, medium intensity lemon colour.  Light aroma of stone fruits and some flint/tar.  Higher acidity.  Light, small, soft bubbles.  Floral and stone fruit flavours.  Stronger bitterness.  Off-dry. –

Foss Marai Prosecco DOC Brut “Blue Bottle” – It has a medium intensity, bright lemon colour.  Light stone fruit aromas and some flintiness.  Higher acidity with a round mouthfeel.  Mouth filling creamy, small bubbles. Light stone fruit flavours and stronger bitterness. –

Masottina Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut “Collezione 96” –  A medium intensity, bright lemon colour.  Closed nose.  Fuller body with high acidity.  Small creamy bubbles.  Bitter citrus rind and floral flavour. –

Serena Wines 1881 Prosecco DOC Rosé Treviso Brut – A blend of Glera and Pinot Nero grapes.  This wine has a medium-plus intensity, clear salmon colour.  Light mint and red fruit aromas.  Fuller body, dry, with creamy bubbles.  Fresh flavours of red fruits plus some pine needles on the palate. Medium length.

Mionetto Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut “Prestige” – This wine has a medium-plus clear, salmon colour.  Light petrol and red fruit aromas. Full-bodied. Semi-sweet. Petrol and red fruit flavours along with touches of floral and candied fruit.  Very light bubble.  Medium-plus acidity with a touch of bitterness on the finish.

Anna Spinato Prosecco DOC Bio Brut – Organic.  It has a medium-plus, bright lemon colour in the glass.  Very nice, stone fruit aromas.  High acidity and medium sweetness.  Coconut and stone fruit flavours.  Medium-sized creamy bubbles.  A touch of floral and bitterness on the finish.  Medium length. –

Cantine Maschio Prosecco DOC Bio Extra Dry – Also organic.  A medium intensity, bright lemon in colour.  Light aromas; herbal and stone fruit.  Medium sweetness but not cloying.  Pine needle flavour pominent plus stone fruits which grow toward the finish.  Some citrus rind.  Medium-sized creamy bubbles that are mouthfilling.  Neice moussey texture.  Medium-minus length.  An easy sipper with more complex aromas and flavours.

Giusti Wine Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry “Rosalia” – Medium intensity, bright lemon colour.  Light mushroom and stone fruit aromas.  Higher acidity.  Medium-sized, biting and creamy bubbles.  Sweet ripe stone fruit flavours.  This wine is off-dry to semi-sweet.  Medium-plus body.

Paladin Prosecco DOC Millesimato 2022 Extra Dry – a vintage Prosecco (made with a declared year). It has a medium intensity, bright lemon colour.  Light lemon and petrol aromas. Petrol, floral and candied cherry flavours.  Unexpected flavours.  High acidity.  Small to medium-sized creamy bubbles.  Medium-plus length with an off-dry finish. –

Villa Sandi Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato 2023 Brut “Il Fresco” – It has a lighter salmon colour.  Fruity nose showing red fruit aromas.  High acidity.  Full body with a round, thicker mouthfeel.  Medium-sized creamy bubbles.  Red fruits along with some pine needles and stronger bitterness on the palate.

Ponte Prosecco DOC Campe Dhei – A pale lemon colour.  Light stone fruit nose.  FUll body, round, with lots of creamy small bubbles that fill your mouth.  A dry with with high acidity.  Citrus, herbaceous and stone fruits in the blend. Medium-plus length. –

I hope you enjoyed reading these tasting notes and maybe will head out to your local bottle shop to pick up one of these Prosecco DOC.  Cin cin.  Thank you to the Prosecco DOC Consortium for me to attend this masterclass.